(Plain Press, February 2021)  A new online page called “Unofficial Public Comments at Cleveland City Council” started by Cleveland residents with the help of a group called “Our Revolution” hopes to convince Cleveland City Council to create a public comment period at their future City Council Meetings. The page can be found on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/unofficialpubliccomments.

 The page live streams following the City Council meetings and holds a discussion monitored by community activist Yvonka Hall.  Residents can submit questions and comments about concerns they have and get copies of the Cleveland City Council legislation being discussed. To submit comments for future Cleveland City Council meetings to “Unofficial Public Comments” go to: https://forms.gle/9XwTXexMP38D8PH18

            The first meeting covered by the group was the January 6^th Cleveland City Council meeting. Moderator Yvonka Hall spoke through a live stream on Facebook of the goals of Unofficial Public Comments at Cleveland City Council.  She said, “This unofficial public comment period should not be necessary because we should have an opportunity have public comment. What we want people to do is we want them to come on. We want them to voice their concerns. We want them to talk about the things they don’t get to talk about during Council meetings. We want them to talk about the things that are going on in their communities. We want them to talk about the things that are going on every single day. We want them to talk about the things they would talk about if Cleveland City Council was not blocking the voice of the community.”

            The February virtual meetings of the “Unofficial Public Comments” group will be from 1-1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays February 3, February 10, February 17 and February 24. To sign up for a meeting send an email to unofficialpubliccomments@gmail.com, or visit https://www.mobilize.us/ourrevolution/event/368383/at unofficialpubliccomments@gmail.com.